From newbie blogger to award winner – my first year of ‘Everything Careers’

It’s exactly a year since I started this blog. And my first blogging anniversary has been marked by a truly amazing achievement this week – yes I am of course referring to winning the Careers Champion Award, which was announced on Wednesday, after what was an extremely close contest. It’s been wonderful to have this recognition of my work and also for the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) Careers, where I am based. But I also firmly believe that the work of careers professionals across the country has received the awareness and attention that it very much deserves.

When I first launched ‘Everything Careers’ I had no idea what to expect really. There was natural excitement, as it was a goal I had been wanting to achieve for a while, but I was fairly nervous too. Would people want to read my writing? And would they relate to what I had to say? What if they became bored? How could I maintain that edge with all the blogs out there? But I knew I just had to jump in and get started.

There have been some tough moments along the way, but that goes for any new project. I’ve had such a fascinating journey so far, and I’ve been really encouraged by the positive response to my blog.

To anyone looking to venture into the world of blogging, I have a few pieces of advice that I would like to share from my experience, but also mistakes I made along the way.

1. Don’t put off starting your blog because you are striving for ‘perfection’ – I felt I had to know everything there was to know about blogs and writing before I launched my own. And some people probably feel they have to undergo loads of blogging and writing training. Yes of course, you need to be a good writer and your site has to look professional from day one, but remember you will learn and improve as time goes on. My advice is to just get it going and get your work out there.
2. Be consistent in how often you post – I admit I’ve broken this rule a few times due to the pressures of work and study. But I have realised that in order to maintain followers and keep people engaged, you do need to have a regular schedule and stick to it.
3. Get advice and tips from other writers and bloggers – it’s really important to have channels and networks where you can improve your knowledge and hear from accomplished writers. I have certainly benefited from the advice of a few people, including freelance writer and expert Kirsty Stuart, renowned careers coach and blogger David Shindler, and top international editor, writing coach and lecturer Shani Raja. I’ve learnt so much from these individuals, so my thanks to them.
4. Keep a note of blog post ideas – inspiration for topics and posts can come from anywhere, so keep a journal (or online system if you prefer) to capture key ideas and thoughts.
5. Be creative with your content – use of images, quotes and different types of media can really enhance your posts, making it more visually attractive and appealing to readers. A particularly useful tool which I’ve been using is Share As Image, which turns images or text into eye-catching content.

Finally, a huge thanks to all my followers and those who have supported and shared my blog and writing over the last 12 months, I’m looking forward to another great year and hope that I can continue to inform and inspire many more people.

Here are all my posts from the last year, happy reading 🙂

WISER Way To Get Careers Inspiration 

5 Questions for International Students Looking to Work in the UK

4 Lessons from World’s Most Unique CVs 

Inequality, Diversity and Why Mentoring Matters 

5 Common Questions For Going Global 

10 Tips on Using Social Media For Your Career 

Paving The Way for International Students To Gain UK Experience 

Faith, Family and A Recruiter’s Approach to Diversity 

New Projects, Learning and Life Since The Last Blog Post 

Art of Self – Reflection and Finding Your ‘Dream Career’ 

What Great British Bake Off Taught Us About Success 

My 5 Top Lessons from 2015 

Rethinking Language Learning and Careers 

Exciting News – Finalist for Careers Champion Awards